Meet Me at the Corner

Tuesday mornings I usually find myself on the Whitnall Park golf course with a group of friends from Hales Corners Woman’s Club. I almost always walk, enjoying again and again the beautiful view as I push my cart down the fairway. Some of the trees are like old friends, and occasionally we’ll spot a deer or a fox disappearing into the woods. Some days, when the weather is idyllic, I feel like I’ve found a spot of Paradise on earth.

Contrary to popular opinion, women don’t always talk on the golf course. There are many glorious moments when the only sounds I hear are birds twirping in overhead trees, and I find myself quietly reflecting about things other than the present location of my golf ball. So there I was a couple of weeks ago, walking toward that stately oak tree in the middle of the fairway on the fourth hole, wondering to myself, “How did I get involved in this game?” And immediately I started thinking about Vivian Velser and the Southwest YWCA.

In 1970, when I was just becoming acquainted with the Franklin/Hales Corners neighborhood, I signed up for a series of indoor lessons hitting whiffle balls off bristly brown mats at the Southwest Center on Janesville Road. And then – thanks to Vivian and her innovative programs – I became part of a women’s golf group that played every Thursday at Whitnall Park. We were called the Y-Fores, and since we had more golfers than allotted tee times, we played every other week and were teamed up with a partner. My assigned partner, who soon became a good friend, was Carmen Kania, a French war bride who came to Franklin with her husband LeRoy, a Milwaukee County deputy sheriff. Carmen had a wonderful sense of humor, an infectious laugh and a delightful French accent. She played the entire game with her 5-iron except when she got near the green and she’d take out her pitching wedge to hit a “sheep” shot.

Carmen moved to Las Vegas when LeRoy retired, and I’ve lost touch with her. Vivian, also a longtime resident of Franklin, died of cancer in 2000, but I carried vivid images of these two women with me through the rest of the game. That’s the wonderful thing about memory: people no longer part of our lives come alive again.

At the Hales Corners Library I checked out a copy of the 1988 publication of the Hales Corners Historical Society, “A History in Celebration of 150 Years.” On page 133 there are six paragraphs which give a little history of the Southwest YWCA: “The Young Women’s Christian Association extended its outreach from Milwaukee to Hales Corners in 1960. At first they operated from a mobile unit in the village, located where Kohl’s is now.” (Let’s update that grocery store image to 2007, and make it Pick and Save.) Classes were “held all over the area, in churches and wherever they could find room.” The first YWCA building was in the Postal Plaza, and many classes were held there.

Dance instructor Jan Spiegel, a longtime friend of Vivian Velser, was one of those teachers as was Dora Jahnke, who taught preschool to 4-year-olds. The small quarters in the Postal Plaza couldn’t begin to accommodate the growing interest in the Y’s programs so, with Vivian at the helm, land was purchased on Janesville Road and a larger facility was built. Jan and Dora both continued teaching classes at the new YWCA, which opened in 1969 at 11111 W. Janesville Road. According to the Historical Society’s book, “Membership grew rapidly. Activities were for all ages and included exercise and dance classes, study groups, tours, numerous arts and crafts classes and a Senior Citizens’ Club.”

Dottie King remembers the aerobic exercise classes, taught by Jan Murry. In fact, she says, every time she attends a funeral at Hartson Funeral Home these days, she has to restrain herself from moving her legs in time to the well-remembered exercises. The quilting group that started at the “Y” still meets on Tuesday mornings in the W. Ben Hunt room at the library, Dottie told me.

I was part of a group called the “Y-Wives,” which held luncheons and programs. In 1981 we published a collection of favorite recipes – all typed out on a standard typewriter, since computers had not yet entered our lives. My children were part of Dora’s preschool classes. I even took an evening class in philosophy there, part of UWM’s community outreach program.

Through the years I came to know Vivian Velser not only at the “Y” but also through Woman’s Club and other community activities. Everyone I’ve talked to remembers Vivian for her friendlly outgoing nature, for her excellent leadership and management skills and for all she did to build up the Southwest YWCA. At the time the downtown office decided to close the Southwest center, membership was at 2,400. As part of the larger, non-profit organization, the Southwest center was financially stable, according to Jan Spiegel, and the income from Southwest programs helped keep the other centers in metropolitan Milwauk

“I like your blog,” Kathy Zellmer told me last week, then added, “and Matthew did too.” Her inflection made it clear that approval from Matthew is high praise indeed.

Kathy is justifiably proud of her son, a volunteer at Independence First, who writes his own blog, “The World on Wheels,” for OnMilwaukee.com. From his wheelchair perspective, Matthew makes some astute observations about people and events. A graduate of Whitnall High School, Matthew earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism and his master’s in communication, both from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He aspires to a career in broadcast journalism, preferably in sports.

In his first blog May 8 Matthew introduced himself: “This blog will be used as a means to facilitate open dialogue on issues important to people with disabilities. It is also my hope to use my real-life experiences as an advocacy tool to improve our quality of life in the community. I chose ‘The World on Wheels’ as the title for this blog because ‘Wheels’ was the nickname I was affectionately known by in media circles at UW-Whitewater. It fits here because people with disabilities often see the world differently; I just happen to most often see it sitting down. But however you may see the world, I suspect that you the reader will share many of my experiences and feelings.”

To read more from this blog and subsequent entries, visit www.onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/blogs/mz80.
“So what does this have to do with Kent Kroupa?” you’re probably asking. Good question – and the answer comes from Matthew Zellmer’s most recent posting on June 15, “Tribute to a Role Model.” It also comes from CNI sports writer, Mark Hutchinson, who wrote a feature article about Coach Kroupa on June 6. (See www.greenfieldnow.com/story/index.aspx?id=614921) In the meantime, let me summarize what I learned about this giant-hearted teacher/coach that makes me want to add my own recognition.

Kroupa retired this month from 32 years of teaching special education classes in the Whitnall school system. He’s been the kind of teacher all kids deserve. It’s been a kind of mission for him. "I believe I was put on the face of the earth to work with kids, whether it's little babies or high school kids," Kroupa told Hutchinson. "I've tried to teach, mold and help them – help them make good decisions and become good people."

One young adult, a self-described “rebel” while in school, told the CNI reporter that Kroupa was unlike any other teacher he ever had. “What's so phenomenal is that he always finds time to talk to his students about anything, big or small, no matter what's going on in his own life."

Kroupa was more than a teacher, Hutchinson learned. “He was both a compassionate confidant and a caring counselor, and his devotion to his students carried far beyond his classroom doors.”

Whitnall colleague Beth Wolfey, who also taught special education classes, found that Kroupa was “never too busy to sit down and have a conversation with a kid." He would get to know the students – really know them, Wolfey said. “He knows what's going on in their lives because he cares and he connects."

One of Kroupa’s former students respected Kroupa for his “no-nonsense” attitude in the classroom. "He didn't coddle his students. He'd push you out and then rein you in if he had to until he knew you were ready to stand on your own. Some kids needed more attention, and he always seemed to understand that.” (quoted from Hutchinson’s article)

In 1999, Matthew Zellmer’s last year at Whitnall High School, Kroupa wrote in his yearbook: “Those on top of the mountain did not fall there.” It was almost like a challenge for Matthew to keep climbing, no matter what obstacles he might find in life. In his blog, Matthew chose those very words to pay tribute to his mentor “because I believe he is the embodiment of that saying.”

“I first met the man known as ‘Coach K’ to his friends about 15 years ago,” Matthew said in his June 15 blog. “I used to walk the halls with my walker between classes and during gym, and one day he struck up a conversation about sports. We became fast friends and soon he was a regular companion on my hall walks.”

His observations of Kroupa coaching basketball and softball made a lasting impression on Matthew. “But he also excelled at being a friend to his athletes away from competition. He cared about them as people, and that came through at critical times. Like when he told his shortstop he would not trade her for any other after an inning in which she had made costly errors. Or the night that he called at home an outfielder who had committed a game-deciding error just hours before, simply to make sure she was OK and wouldn’t lose confidence in herself. I know these and many other players who would run through a wall for him.”

Matthew closed his blog with these words to the much-revered teacher: “Happy retirement, and enjoy the view from the top of the mountain.”

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The storm that blew through Franklin last week littered our yard with branches. Most of the time I feel blessed to live in the midst of stately oak trees, though in fall, knee-deep in leaves and rake in hand, I can understand why so many retired folk go condo hunting. Luckily, the storm wasn’t nearly as violent as the weathermen predicted. Cleaning up the aftermath, though, required much bending over to pick up sticks and branches. “There are more sticks here than you can shake a stick at!” I thought, amusing myself with this wordplay. And then immediately I started wondering where that phrase came from.

As soon as I came inside, I decided to check Google – or, as we commonly say these days – I “Googled” it. This time even Google couldn’t come up with a definitive answer, but it introduced me to an interesting website that promised to send me “a phrase a week” for free. I signed up. In the meantime, I checked out the origin of other phrases I use like, making something “from scratch” and “For crying out loud!” I’ll include abbreviated explanations of these three phrases at the end of this blog, but if you want to try some word sleuthing yourself, check out www.worldwidewords.org or www.phrases.org.uk.

“Did you ever Google yourself?” a Franklin friend, Gerry Galewski, asked as we were discussing this whole new world of blogging and Googling. I had, as a matter of fact, and I was amazed to find that Google had already discovered I was writing this blog for CNI NOW. I also learned there was another Marjorie Pagel, born Dec. 28, 1921, who later married Henry Schneiderjan. I didn’t learn much more about this woman who shares my name except that she was (and possibly still is) from somewhere in Texas and probably not related to me.

The English language has always been a living entity, changing through the years according to the way people use it. No matter how much language purists try to keep certain words out of the dictionary, it is impossible to dictate “rules” of usage. Editors of dictionaries and other reference books are constantly challenged to decide which new words (like “blog” and “wiki”) should be added to the newest editions and which words are just trendy. “Keeping Up With the Web’s New Lingo,” recently published in Business Week, discusses some of these challenges.
(See www.businessweek.com/techn/content/apr2007/tc20070412_788838.htm.)

A person has to be careful with all this information at our fingertips. There is, after all, the backyard to be tended to – I missed some of the sticks – and dinner to be made. Google and Wiki can’t be bothered with mundane tasks like those.
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More on word origins, as promised:

“Shake a stick at”: This phrase, prefaced with “more than” has come to mean “plenty” or “more than you can count” (like those sticks in our yard.) It was first recorded in August, 1818, in the Lancaster Journal of Pennsylvania: “We have in Lancaster as many Taverns as you can shake a stick at”. In 1835 Davy Crockett wrote in his Tour to the North and Down East, “This was a temperance house, and there was nothing to treat a friend that was worth shaking a stick at”.

“For crying out loud” is a “minced oath” – in other words, something people say when they feel like swearing but choose something less offensive. It’s a cousin to another minced oath, “Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Its first recorded use is 1924 by Thomas Aloysius Dorgan, a cartoonist who also had a reputation for coining words. (See Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson.)

The phrase, “to make from scratch” has its origin -- not in the kitchen but in the sports world. As early as 1778 the word “scratch” referred to a line drawn to indicate a boundary or starting line. In the world of boxing, the opponents had to come to a “scratch” line before they could begin pummeling each other. (For more information, check http://www.adrian.edu/news/contact/f02/knowitallf02.php.)

I can hear the Franklin school bus coming around the bend of Scherrei Drive. Summer vacation doesn’t start for another week, so I hope for the children’s sake – and the teachers’ – that the days ahead aren’t too warm. It is challenging to keep young minds on scholarly pursuits when every instinct says, “Get outside and play some ball.” Unfortunately, the welcome news this past winter – “No school today!” – has come back to taunt those unfortunate students squirming at their desks.

If teachers run out of ideas to fill in the hours which stretch ahead, they might consider reversing that assignment so popular on the first day of school. “What will you do on your summer vacation?” Thanks to the efforts of concerned citizens in the Hales Corners area, children can add “Go swimming at the Hales Corners pool” to their list. Some of the other things they look forward to are the same things I look forward to in these glorious days of summer. Picnics, hikes and bike rides, hanging out with friends, getting together with cousins, taking a family vacation “up north”, playing ball (or going to watch someone else play ball – Little Leaguers, Brewers), church festivals and lakefront festivals, Fourth of July. . . .the list goes on. And then, all too soon, we’ll be assaulted by those “back-to-school” ads.

“The whole world is your classroom”: that slogan was on a poster at one of our local colleges. How true it is! and for people living in the Franklin – Hales Corners area, near Whitnall Park, our classroom is walking or biking distance away. (Think of the gas money we can save!) On Saturday I stopped at Boerner Botanical Gardens to check out the Iris show – hundreds of irises, dozens of colors and varieties – representing the pride of local gardeners. The show, free to the public, was held in the old CCC building. Let’s stop here for a quiz: What does “CCC” stand for? Who were the men who gave “Whitnall” and “Boerner” their names? The answers to those questions will appear at the end of this blog, but in the meantime let me “plant” an idea for the outdoor classroom that you can add to your summer wish list.

Every Wednesday night beginning at 6:30 p.m., you can take a Walk in the Gardens to learn more about flowers and other plant life growing there as well as gardening techniques to try in home gardens. This week, June 6, Paul Drobot will lead a garden tour focusing on irises and peonies. Next week, June 13, Drobot will tell gardeners about “Compact and Dwarf Plants for Your Landscape.” The online invitation states: “Garden Walks are for everyone from the novice to the garden enthusiast and we invite anyone who has in interest in gardening to attend. Walks start in the Atrium of the Education & Visitors Center (rain or shine), and run through August 29th. Cost is $5 per person which includes general admission and a chance to win the Featured Plant of the Week.”

If you enjoy surfing the web, I highly recommend www.county.milwaukee.gov. Here you can find a calendar of events for the summer and learn more about the Milwaukee County park system. You can even take a virtual tour through Boerner Botanical Gardens – certainly not my favorite way to view these gorgeous gardens, but on rainy days it can remind me of what’s in store for me when the sun comes out again.

I would like to hear from readers what you enjoy doing this summer, particularly those sights and excursions in our neighborhood. In the meantime, before those golden school buses come back to claim our neighborhood children, look for lessons worth sharing in that classroom extending beyond school doors. Share your excitement of learning, and I’ll pass it along in this blog.

As promised, here are the answers to the questions posed above:

1) CCC: Civilian Conservation Corps; the “CCC Building” at Boerner Botanical Gardens where the Iris Society held its show is Wisconsin’s oldest remaining CCC project building.

2) Boerner Botanical Gardens: The formal gardens and arboretum were designed by landscape architect Alfred Boerner and constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC), the Works Program Administration(WPA) and the Milwaukee Relief Project during the Great Depression of 1930's. Boerner stated his vision for the gardens: “It is not only for us, but for our children and grandchildren who will reap the full benefit.” Seventy years later those children and grandchildren are bringing their children and grandchildren to the Gardens in Whitnall Park.

3) Charles Whitnall, born in 1859, was Secretary of the Milwaukee County Park Commission since its inception in 1907. It is largely through his efforts that Milwaukee County boasts one of the finest park systems in the nation. Ignoring the derision of many opponents, Whitnall promoted land acquisition along the county waterways and lakefront to be preserved and used for the public. At a 1940 award ceremony, a woman identified as “Mrs. C.M. Barr” said: "He kne